Have price increases kept pace with cost increases, inflation, or competitive levels?
Address the following topics, making sure to answer the questions posed. This should be submitted in report format (not outline) using APA format. The writing should be reflective of MBA level work in content as well as style. The paper will be submitted to a plagiarism checker; any paper scoring 25 or greater will receive a score of 0.
Product – Describe the mix of products offered by your retailer.
What are the major product/service offerings of the firm? Do they complement each other, or is there unnecessary duplication?
What branding strategy does the retailer employ for products it produces?
What brands offered by the retailer are its largest sellers? Are there any exclusivity arrangements with manufacturers?
Describe the retailer’s products in terms of breadth and width (a table may be used here).
What are the pressures among various target markets to increase or decrease the range and quality of products?
What are the major weaknesses in each product area? What are the major complaints?
What are the brand associations with the retailer’s name? How do these associations compare to those of its competitors?
What services are offered by the retailer?
How is customer service handled?
How is service quality assessed?
What changes would you recommend be made to the product in light of the research you’ve done?
Place
What is the strategy used to determine where physical stores are placed? Describe in detail.
What is the atmosphere of the brick and mortar stores?
Where are the distribution centers for the retailer located?
Describe the supply chain for the retailer. How efficient is it?
When did the company begin offering online products for sale? Provide a brief history of the company’s online operations, including its current status. How does the website convey the atmosphere of the brick and mortar stores?
What changes would you recommend be made to place strategies in light of the research you’ve done?
Promotion
How does a typical customer find out about the firm’s products?
What is the current message the company is using in its promotions (tagline)?
Do the promotion efforts appear to focus primarily on informing, persuading, educating, or reminding customers about the firm’s products?
Provide information on expenditures for advertising in recent years. Does the firm establish budgets and measure effectiveness of promotional efforts?
Which media are currently being used? Has the firm chosen the types of media that will best reach its target markets?
Describe the company’s use of social media. How active are they on the social media sites used by their target audience? What messages are promoted on these sites?
What changes should be made to the promotion strategy in light of the research you’ve done?
Pricing
What type of pricing strategy is used by the retailer?
What are the range of prices for the largest product categories?
What mechanisms does the firm have to ensure that the prices charged are acceptable to customers?
How price sensitive are customers?
If a price change is put into effect, how will the number of customers change? Will total revenue increase or decrease?
What discounts are offered, and with what rationale?
Has the firm considered the psychological dimensions of price?
Have price increases kept pace with cost increases, inflation, or competitive levels?
What changes should be made to the pricing strategy in light of the research you’ve done?
